Cinese ear cleaning for better sound

[jmschnur]

I am now in Dali after some trips to Deqin and Lijian while on buisiness in China.

I tried an ear cleaing in Chengdu and it really helped. highs and directionality were much better.

Just a thought about another "tweak".

I have added a picutre of the process. This was done with implements-not candles.

Joel

[raphant69]

Hi, Joel
You have here the "ultimate tweak" that works with Logans and every brand of speakers, amps, sources and even with live performance!(LOL)
Regards

[Kruppy]

Can you post pictures? :eek: :D :p :rolleyes:

[SugarMedia]

Can you post pictures?

Oh No!
:eek:

it sort of goes along the line of the Q-tip tweak we heard about the other week. But I don't doubt that the ear cleaning really works...probably helps quite abit for some.

[jmschnur]

I am in Qindao now but when I get back to thre US I will post some that my wife took.

The process seems to be better than just Q tips.


Joel

[Joey_V]

I'm interested in this Chinese ear remedy... can we get it done here in the US?

[rodspr]

Sure you can. Just do a search for 'ear candling' in your area. There should be someplace to get it done.

Make sure you have them cut it open when done to see what come out.

[Rich]

You can even do it yourself. I have purchased ear candles at the local health food store and used them at home. They are basically hollow funnel-shaped candles. You put the narrow end in your ear and light the other end. :eek: I don't quite understand the physics, but it works to draw the wax out of your ear better than any other method. Just think of it like vacuuming your panels. Occasional maintenance that allows you to enjoy the sweet sounds of Logans in all their glory.

[Robin]

You can even do it yourself. I have purchased ear candles at the local health food store and used them at home. They are basically hollow funnel-shaped candles. You put the narrow end in your ear and light the other end. I don't quite understand the physics, but it works to draw the wax out of your ear better than any other method. Just think of it like vacuuming your panels. Occasional maintenance that allows you to enjoy the sweet sounds of Logans in all their glory.
Rich,

I don't think I could ever put candles in my ears and light them up... :eek:
I'm too worried about setting my hair on fire. :eek:
Do you have a fire extinguisher near by. :o
I was never very good with physics...
My mother always told me never put anything into your ears smaller than an elbow. :p

[Kruppy]

I would assume that burning ear hair would smell the same as bbq'ing the knuckle hair off my hands, which I tend to do quite often.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.....

[Rich]

I don't think I could ever put candles in my ears and light them up...
I'm too worried about setting my hair on fire.
Do you have a fire extinguisher near by.
I was never very good with physics...
My mother always told me never put anything into your ears smaller than an elbow.

Robin,

I know -- it sounds scary. And you do have to be careful, especially if you have long hair. But the candles are pretty long and you don't burn them all the way down so the fire doesn't get that close to your head. I had no problems and no singed ear hairs from the experience. The only thing that was really scary was the size of the lump of wax that came out of my ears. :eek:

[jimbo]

I have my wife do the ear candles on me about every six months or so. We have been doing for about the last three years. It works. You can buy ear candles in most health food stores.

[Gordon Gray]

I have used them on several occasions. You can get them at your local health / herb store. Don't do it yourself. Have another person hold the candle upright and monitor the small flame. Takes about 10 minutes per ear. Try two candles per ear the first time. Lay down on a couch or whatever and relax. Use a small piece of aluminum foil and cut a small hole in the middle for the tip of the candle to penetrate. This will provide a "shield" for any ashes as the candle melts. After you are done, cut open the candle tip to see what was withdrawn. Pretty amazing!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED / NO NEED FOR CONCERN IF PERFORMED AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, AND MUCH BETTER THAN Q-TIPS, which can "PUSH" wax into your ear canal. Not good. I asked my ENT about these candles. He said the wax inside was just the wax from the candles and that these can damage your ear canals. WAY WRONG / DON'T BELIEVE IT!! Just be careful how far you insert the candle tip into your ear.

Additional comment. After using the candles, you might want to follow up with the traditional, ear wax removal kit (ear drops / flushing), which you can buy at any supermarket. I did and it seems to get that "last bit" of wax out.

GG

[mrmike]

More convetional ways to clean your ears also work such as ear drops and an ear syringe. If you listen to a lot of loud music you ears will produce wax to protect the drum. I found out the hard way in my youth but when I cleaned them out the the improvement was dramatic. Not so much now that listen at more reasonable levels.

[cmescia]

actually your ent was totally correct. Sorry, but ear candles are completely bogus.....there have been countless studies done on them. basically the only way you can suck something out of a tube is if there is a hole on the other end. the canal is basically a short tube with a hole only on one end and all the warm suction in the world wont do squat. it is like sucking the water out of a garden hose and then someone closes the other end.....it is just simple physics.

If you think I am wrong, take a watermelon, or a cantelope and punch a small hole in the rind with a pencil. Then do an ear candle on it and you will be BLOWN AWAY buy the tremendous amount of earwax you got out of the melon ;^)

Or if you want to be gross, take the big blob that comes 9out and taste the distal part (the part that is -not- jammed in your ear)....it tastes just like candle wax, not nasty ear wax.

The warmth of the candle makes the wax in your ear softer and more pliable, therefore the motion of your jaw, etc... moves it around and usually that movement allows for a better airflow through the canal...and thus better hearing. (also why you noticed that you needed to use real cerumen removal tools like solvents/flushing devices to get the 'last bits')

I could go on and on about this, but the bottom line is that some alternative medicines are terrific and have a significant amount of grounded results....other stuff is bogus, and ear candles fall in the bogus category.

Chris

ps. as for those that go to concerts, etymonics makes great earplugs that you get fitted and molded for your ears. they come with 8,15, and 25 dB inserts that allow you to dial up or down the attenuation as needed.


I have used them on several occasions. Pretty amazing!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED / NO NEED FOR CONCERN IF PERFORMED AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, AND MUCH BETTER THAN Q-TIPS, which can "PUSH" wax into your ear canal. Not good. I asked my ENT about these candles. He said the wax inside was just the wax from the candles and that these can damage your ear canals. WAY WRONG / DON'T BELIEVE IT!! Just be careful how far you insert the candle tip into your ear.

Additional comment. After using the candles, you might want to follow up with the traditional, ear wax removal kit (ear drops / flushing), which you can buy at any supermarket. I did and it seems to get that "last bit" of wax out.

GG

[Gordon Gray]

Chris,

I certainly respect your opinion. However, in this case, we can both agree to respectfully disagree. I've done it and know what the results are regardless of the numerous studies you reference. No more comment from me on this issue. Have a good day.

Additional comment. I just re-read your post. Chris, there really is no need to be condescending or or make otherwise disrespectful remarks in this forum. I trust others would agree. It's OK to state a difference of opinion. It's not OK to respond in the manner in which you did. I've enjoyed being a part of this website until now.

GG

[tsd2005]

Chris,

I certainly respect your opinion. However, in this case, we can both agree to respectfully disagree. I've done it and know what the results are regardless of the numerous studies you reference. No more comment from me on this issue. Have a good day.

Additional comment. I just re-read your post. Chris, there really is no need to be condescending or or make otherwise disrespectful remarks in this forum. I trust others would agree. It's OK to state a difference of opinion. It's not OK to respond in the manner in which you did. I've enjoyed being a part of this website until now.

GG

Well Gordon you've been told by an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist that they don't work. I've been told the same thing. I've also been told why it appears to have worked. Chris pointed it out, your Ear wax dislodges some due to the warmth. So you get to hear better. When you use a medically approved product on it, it takes it right out.

Now I agree Chris went a little overboard with the melons, etc. However I think his brief mention of physics should be realistically considered.

Combining the Ear Candle and the Ear Cleaning kits works because it makes the job easier for the kits. Technically it's not sucking out Ear Wax. The Candle Wax gets discoloured, so when you cut it open the nasty stuff is essentially the Candle Wax. Surely some Ear Wax comes thru the funnel, I understand enough physics that some will.

However your system of using both works. It dislodges and loosens the wax that then gets eradicated by the kits.

My only worry is that your ENT and my ENT both said it could be dangerous to the ear. That is something that is hard to ignore. That may be a much more important message. Obviously clean ears help improve sound. What good medically proven and accepted form of ear cleaning is there?

[SugarMedia]

Hydrogen Peroxide followed by rubbing alcohol will also do the job safely.

[Rich]

actually your ent was totally correct. Sorry, but ear candles are completely bogus.....there have been countless studies done on them. basically the only way you can suck something out of a tube is if there is a hole on the other end. the canal is basically a short tube with a hole only on one end and all the warm suction in the world wont do squat. it is like sucking the water out of a garden hose and then someone closes the other end.....it is just simple physics.

Before making such strong statements, you should check an anatomy book. The eustachian tubes connect your middle ear to your throat and allow you to equalize air pressure in your ear. I don't know about the "countless studies" since you don't provide any links, but I can say that I have used them and I know that they have worked very well for me. The blob of wax that ended up in the ones I have used was most certainly ear wax -- very different from candle wax.

If the candle were dripping melted candle wax as you suggest, it would travel right through the hollow end of the tube and into the ear. I have never experienced that problem.

For the record, I have also previously used ear wax removal drops and a syringe and warm water wash and that is a reliable and acceptable method to clean the wax out as well.

You are certainly entitled to your opinions about ear candles, but please don't state your opinions as fact.

[Robin]

I found this article by an MD...



http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html



Then I found this information by folks promoting "Ear Candles"....



http://www.dakara.com/earintro.html



I don't know?

Their are definately two strong points of view concerning this method of ear cleaning that's for sure... :)

[Robin]

I also found this interesting photo of a person having Ear Candling applied...

[tsd2005]

Before making such strong statements, you should check an anatomy book. The eustachian tubes connect your middle ear to your throat and allow you to equalize air pressure in your ear.

While you're checking that anatomy book you will find that the external canal is not connected to the eustachian tubes in any way.

My ENT claims thus in his email I got today:


"Ear Candles are a big fraud. The FDA has pursued companies claiming their medical benefits. Many Ear Candles are now labeled "for entertainment purposes only." I have had multiple patients with problems caused from using Ear Candles.

Interestingly enough one of my patients did the Candle procedure twice a year. He is likely one of your clients as he said the main reason for his love of music. I bought an Ear Candle and during his visit we ran a test. I put the Ear Candle in an empty bottle, taping it firmly so no air could get in or out. We lit the candle and went thru the whole procedure. He was shocked to find the same earwax looking residue. Needless to say he now follows my advice on how to properly clean out his ears!"

Now my ENT could be lying, but I don't see why. Perhaps Gordon is willing to run a similar test for us.

I would greatly like to hear some people on here and their known medically recognized methods for cleaning out their ears and what is their most popular method.

[tsd2005]

I found this article by an MD...



http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html



Then I found this information by folks promoting "Ear Candles"....



http://www.dakara.com/earintro.html



I don't know?

Their are definately two strong points of view concerning this method of ear cleaning that's for sure... :)


A Strong point is "history dates it back to Atlantis and Lemuria"....

Followed by their description of air moving up the Eustachian tubes, etc. They don't even know proper anatomy.

Meanwhile I have an ENT and so does Gordon that says it is a sham.

[Robin]

Well, my current method is as follows:

* I see my MD, he examines my beautiful ears.

* If he sees I have alot of wax or my ears are too dirty or both in my
external ear cannal, my MD will perscribe an ear drops for three to seven
days.

* I see my doctor again at the end of my drops treatment. He has a nurse
squirt out my ears with blub syringe / emesis pan and warm steril H2O.

* The nurse showes me what all came out and that's about it... ;)

[Rich]

I say go with whatever works for you. Ear candling works for me, as do the ear drops. But I have never felt the need to pay a doctor to clean my ears.

As for why an ENT would not necessarily be completely knowledgeable about or accepting of candling, I would simply point out that they don't teach folk remedies in medical school, and doctors don't make any money when people take care of themselves with home remedies.

I would agree that there are some hokey claims made about candling by some folks, but I would not so quickly dismiss a technique that has been used by multiple cultures for thousands of years simply because an ENT who makes money cleaning ear wax says it is a fraud. Just my 2 cents. I understand it's not for everyone.

[tsd2005]

I say go with whatever works for you. Ear candling works for me, as do the ear drops. But I have never felt the need to pay a doctor to clean my ears.

As for why an ENT would not necessarily be completely knowledgeable about or accepting of candling, I would simply point out that they don't teach folk remedies in medical school, and doctors don't make any money when people take care of themselves with home remedies.

I would agree that there are some hokey claims made about candling by some folks, but I would not so quickly dismiss a technique that has been used by multiple cultures for thousands of years simply because an ENT who makes money cleaning ear wax says it is a fraud. Just my 2 cents. I understand it's not for everyone.

So the ENT is out for money. I get it. That is your response after telling someone to look into a book on anatomy where you're totally wrong about what they will find in the book. So instead of admiting that it is a hoax you attack the messengers.

However my ENT told me that they did go over Ear Candles and other such things in class. They showed how they were hoaxes and what DAMAGE they can cause. I think that is the biggest thing here. They can cause you DAMAGE. They don't do what you think they're doing.

Well I just finished buying an Ear Candle. I punched a whole in the top of an empty jar's lid. I used duct tape to make sure it was inserted properly. The end result was a bunch of crap that looked like Ear Wax. Except the Jar was empty.

So explain to me how multiple Doctor's claims, and now my own personal observations of it being a total fraud are anything but that? In fact while choosing Candles, I couldn't help but notice that many said "For Entertainment Purposes Only!"

The only thing an Ear Candle can do for your hearing is cause some wax to melt and dislodge some of it. That is it! It does not suck anything out of your ear.

How do we know this has been used by multiple cultures for thousands of years? Because they tell us that? Well they tell me it comes from Atlantis too. So... I find it hard to believe. It's a straight up con. When buying the candle tonight, the salesperson joked about it to me. Told me he saw Penn & Teller debunk the damn thing on their TV show.

I told him I was testing it for a bunch of people. If I'd been buying it for myself I might have been insulted by the salesperson. In this case I wasn't.

[Munster]

I would guess that 99% of the items sold in a "health" store a

MD would consider a scam otherwise they would be in a pharmacy. Many

people do buy these items and testify to their benefits. I'll pass this one

off to roberto....

"TRUST YOUR EARS"

[patlad]

here is what Health Canada says about ear candling:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/med/ear-oreille_e.html

[Rich]

So the ENT is out for money. I get it. That is your response after telling someone to look into a book on anatomy where you're totally wrong about what they will find in the book. So instead of admiting that it is a hoax you attack the messengers.

Actually, unlike yourself, I'm not attacking anyone. Just offering my opinion about a product I have found to be useful and effective, and about why an ENT may have a preconceived bias against it. And what I said about the anatomy book was absolutely correct. The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the throat and allow you equalize pressure in your ear. That is actually an exact quote from my anatomy book.

Your "experiment" sounds very scientific. I notice you didn't actually put the candle where it is supposed to go, which is in your ear. In fact, it seems that all of the people trashing this as a hoax have never actually tried it for themselves. I expect these same people would lambast someone for trashing the new line of M.L.s when they hadn't even listened to them, just based on what some professional reviewers had told them.

Now you may decide to try it, and you may decide that it doesn't work for you, and that is fine by me. Or you may decide that it is too dangerous and useless and you don't want to try it, and that is fine too. But your screaming that it is a fake and a fraud falls on deaf ears (no pun intended) when I know that I have used it and it has worked for me and I suffered no ill effects from the experience. Others on this forum that have actually used them support my opinion. Like I said in my last post, if it doesn't work for you, go pay your ear doctor to clean your wax out.

That's my last word on this subject, since I don't see that the discussion is moving in a positive direction. It's a shame that what started out as such a light-hearted thread has turned into something so negative. I apologize if my posts have contributed to that tone.

[tsd2005]

Actually, unlike yourself, I'm not attacking anyone. Just offering my opinion about a product I have found to be useful and effective, and about why an ENT may have a preconceived bias against it. And what I said about the anatomy book was absolutely correct. The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the throat and allow you equalize pressure in your ear. That is actually an exact quote from my anatomy book.

Your "experiment" sounds very scientific. I notice you didn't actually put the candle where it is supposed to go, which is in your ear. In fact, it seems that all of the people trashing this as a hoax have never actually tried it for themselves. I expect these same people would lambast someone for trashing the new line of M.L.s when they hadn't even listened to them, just based on what some professional reviewers had told them.

Now you may decide to try it, and you may decide that it doesn't work for you, and that is fine by me. Or you may decide that it is too dangerous and useless and you don't want to try it, and that is fine too. But your screaming that it is a fake and a fraud falls on deaf ears (no pun intended) when I know that I have used it and it has worked for me and I suffered no ill effects from the experience. Others on this forum that have actually used them support my opinion. Like I said in my last post, if it doesn't work for you, go pay your ear doctor to clean your wax out.

That's my last word on this subject, since I don't see that the discussion is moving in a positive direction. It's a shame that what started out as such a light-hearted thread has turned into something so negative. I apologize if my posts have contributed to that tone.

Both the United States and Canada have done their own experiments. They both have made the importing of these candles: ILLEGAL. To sell them as thearaputic, or to use them in any theraputic form is ILLEGAL.

They get around it by saying its for entertainment purposes. Just remember the next time you stick it in your ear, that you're doing something considered illegal. So when you finally do injure your ear, your insurance provider won't cover any of it.

It's a PROVEN HOAX. YOU'RE BEING INCREDIBLY CLOSE MINDED. THE ADVICE YOU'VE GIVEN ON HERE COULD SERIOUSLY HURT SOMEONE. HEAT DISLODGES WAX MAKING YOUR HEARING SEEM TO BETTER. IT HAS LITERALLY DONE NOTHING FOR YOU! PHYSICS DOESN'T LIE. DOCTORS AREN'T LYING TO MAKE MORE MONEY. EUSTACHIAN TUBES ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE EXTERNAL EAR CANAL!!!! LOOK IT UP!!!!

This is a quote from Health Canada:

"In 1996, a report published in the medical journal Laryngoscope concluded that "ear candles have no benefit in the management of cerumen (ear wax) and may result in serious injury." Health Canada agrees.

The authors of the report, all of whom were medical doctors, conducted a survey of 122 ear specialists. They found 21 cases of serious injury caused by ear candling. In six of these cases, patients temporarily lost their hearing. Other problems reported among the group included:

Thirteen cases of burns
Seven cases where the wax from the candle had blocked the ear canal
One case of a punctured ear drum "

Why you are taking offense to someone trying to save you from hurting yourself is beyond me.

I'm sorry but your defense of defining to me what a Eustachian Tube is and trying to make that prove your point is insane. The Eustachian Tube is NOT CONNECTED to the external ear canal!!!!! Just because an Ear Candle document says it helps with it, doesn't make it so.

This is absurd you say I'm "attacking you," when I'm doing nothing but pointing out that your medical procedure is nothing more than a DANGEROUS hoax.

At least I'm not on here advising people to do something that can SERIOUSLY hurt them. In fact I'm on here to tell them to stay away from it! You can tell people to do something that could leave the DEAF. I'm not going to do it.

You might as well tell members to take up smoking or heroin!

You might not see the connection. I do. You're trying to advise people to try something that could leave them DEAF. You're trying to advise people to try something that is a PROVEN HOAX. You're trying to advise people to do something that Doctors tell you not to do. Your only defense is saying it works for you. When told why you perceive it to work, you brush that off.

I just don't get it. Why be so ignorant about your health?

In fact what if someone on this site, reads what you say and goes "Well damn, those guys are just jealous that it works!" They go out and end up Deaf in one ear.

How would that make you feel?

[TomDac]

I've got one question for you guys: Are these candles scented and if so, what scents do they come in?

:D

ROFL!

[Craig]

Just remember the next time you stick it in your ear, that you're doing something considered illegal.
"I got life for murder...so what are you in for?" :D

[Peter Hogan]

"I got life for murder...so what are you in for?" :D

And he said "what were you arrested for", and I said "littering"...and they all moved away from me on the group 'w' bench...until I said "and creating a nuisance", and they all moved back, and we had a great time talking about mother r@ping, father st@bbing, and all sorts of other groovy stuff"...:)

(from the classic Thanksgiving Day song, Arlo Guthries "Alices Restaurant")


Peter

[jmschnur]

In China there were no candles just small metal probes. These may have been heated.
It took about 5 minutes for each ear.
It did not hurt and the effects were very very good.

Here is a picture.

Joel

[cmescia]

Sorry for original sarcastic tone...no offense intended at all. Otherwise I will stick to my original premise. As for the melons, well they are more fun than an empty jar ;^) To make that jar test more accurate, you should do an ear candle in your ear with the same brand of candle you used in the jar and then compare the two little wax blobs in the bottom and see if they are different in any way.

Regardless of opinions of efficacy, as long as users are aware that they sometimes cause harm, I would say let them have at it. If standing on your head in the southwest corner of your house once a day makes your migraines go away, who cares why? Have at it. If your hearing significantly improved with candling, that is what matters. I still wouldnt do it, but if you are informed of the risks--have at it. I will stick with irrigation therapy.

Chris

[cmescia]

Now that looks cool....and is a completely different tool. Is the warmth transmitted fromthe hands or another source?

[Robin]

:) This is what I call warm and friendly ear cleaning...

[Bimotarich]

Ear cleaning is considered a romantic activity here in Japan. With your head in their lap, your partner uses a small bamboo ear "spoon" to scrape and remove the wax from your ears and occasionally also swaps the ear canal with a very fluffy take on the Q-tip. Done with love and a delicate touch, it feels great and can help with the hearing... done carelessly it can hurt like all @#$%*! I have heard there is a danger in over cleaning your ears as well... we produce the wax for a reason!